Artur Hajzer

Artur Hajzer (28 June 1962 – 7 July 2013) was a Polish mountaineer best known for the first winter ascent of Annapurna on February 3, 1987 together with Jerzy Kukuczka.

Artur Hajzer has seven main eight-thousanders to his name, several via new routes (Manaslu’s NE face in 1986, Shishapangma’s east ridge in 1987) and the first winter climb of Annapurna on February 3, 1987. He also summited Annapurna East (8010m) via a new route up the SE face in 1988. All these climbs were done together with Kukuczka, without supplemental oxygen or Sherpa support. Artur also attempted Lhotse South Face three times reaching 8200 m in 1985, 8300 m in 1987 and 7200 m (alpine style) in 1989. He is also known as organizer of a “thunderbolt” rescue operation on Mount Everest’s West Ridge for Andrzej Marciniak in 1989. On September 30, 2011, he summited Makalu with Adam Bielecki and Tomasz Wolfart. In July 2013 he died after falling in the Japanese Coloir after an attempt to reach the summit of Gasherbrum I.

He was the creator of the program Polish Winter Himalaism 2010-2015.